If you remember rotary dial telephones, the Stonewall rebellion, women with wonderfully short skirts and men with capes and tunics, a fresh new comedy called “Gilligan’s Island”, black and white television, “goat” meant something other than a small, sometimes foul smelling, mammal, hair styled in very ODD ways, and watched disturbing things in the shower then you remember “Paul Revere and the Raiders.” Dead of cancer in Idaho, age 76 is Paul Revere (born “Paul Revere Dick”).

Paul and his Raiders originally started in Boise, Idaho as the “Downbeats.” Their first hit single was “Louie, Louie,” recorded one week before the Kingsmen cut their classic version.  If you’re looking for ODD facts, “Louie, Louie” is the second most frequently covered song in Rock and Roll.

Number one goes to the Beatles “Yesterday”. PRR went on to have 23 hit singles and 14 gold albums. One fan asked Paul to autograph copies of all his albums. He did so, saying, “Why not, they paid for my first house and my first marriage.”

Paul Revere, continued to get his kicks right up to the end, making him the leader of one of the longest running rock bands ever–still hungry for applause, a bit portly, but with a drummer able to make a great catch.

Bill Medley, of the Righteous Brothers, and 500 friends, sent Paul to his next gig.  Go, read, enjoy, and remember over at Bill Kopp’s Music Blog and the nicely granular Paul Revere (Dick) – In Memoriam.